How to Remove a Boat from a Trailer with a Portable Boat Lift

Last Updated: September 16, 2021

How does one remove a boat from a trailer? This is an inherently arduous and dangerous task and should not be attempted without thorough knowledge of the tools needed and the mechanical expertise and physical capacity to attempt it. Although there are numerous written articles on how to remove a boat from a trailer, there are no other tools engineered or manufactured on the market today, other than “Portable Boat Lift”, that has been engineered specifically to do the job; that is not to say there are no other ways to do it and you should thoroughly research all available blogs and information found on a web search of the title. With a “Portable Boat Lift” and by following the steps below, specific to using the Portable Boat Lift, you can finally work on your boat or trailer when, where, and how you want with total access to the hull or trailer with a tool designed and engineered to help you. All written information must be read and understood before you proceed.

Steps

1
Inflate the tires on your trailer to the maximum allowed on the tires’ sidewall.
2
Chock each of the boat trailer wheels on both sides of the trailer in front and in back of the wheels.

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3
Lower the tongue of the boat trailer as low as it will go to raise the transom as high as it will go.
4
Set your boat stands under the transom and snug them up one turn past tight.
5
Raise the tongue of the trailer as high as it will go.
6
Hang the Trapeze from the bow eye with the provided hitch pin and secure it with its clip.
7
Attach the Trapeze to the Pivot Stand with the provided spring pin, preferably to the first hole above the Trapeze level position. It is beneficial to start the operation with the Trapeze slightly higher than level at the Pivot Stand.
8
Attach the hook from the Winch Stand cable to the eye nut on the other end of the Trapeze. Crank the winch one turn past a snug/tight cable; both stands should have their back legs pointing out, away from the center.
9
Install the provided safety chain around the base of each stand leaving 2 to 3 links of slack.
10
Lower the tongue of the boat trailer slightly to bring it down to lessen the bow end of the boats’ contact with the trailers boat hull supports while the bow is now starting to be suspended by the Trapeze.
11
Continue cranking the winch until the boat is separated from the trailer.
12
Use the raising and lowering of the tongue of the trailer and the lifting action of the Trapeze to accomplish the minimum amount of total separation needed from all trailer supports to safely pull the trailer out from under the boat. Check thoroughly that there is total separation from the front to the rear of the boat hull from all trailer supports before and during the entire removal of the trailer; your boat trailer guides may need to be removed.
13
If your boat is on any incline the trailer will have a tendency to roll at this point. Be very careful when removing the wheel chocks and while pulling the trailer out so as not to have it jump right, left, backward, or forward while safely guiding the boat trailer out under the Trapeze and between the two Stands, and clear of the Boat Lift.
14
Immediately install boat stands as instructed by your boat stand manufacturer in accordance with their recommendations for your particular boat before going under the boat.
15
Leave the Portable Boat Lift attached to allow you to slightly raise the boat to reposition the boat stands for access to the boat hull where the stands were placed initially, or remove the Boat Lift while supported with your stands.

Warnings

Removing a boat from a trailer is an inherently dangerous task and should only be done by those who are capable of such a task. If it doesn't seem like you are capable or have the mechanical or physical skills needed, don't attempt this yourself. Get help from qualified mechanics that have performed this work before.

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